Seed measuring plate with streamline discharge guide



c. H. WHITE 2,506,658

SEED MEASURING PLATE WITH STREAMLINE- DISCHARGE GUIDE May 9, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l CHARLES H. WHITE May 9, 1950 0. WHITE SEED MEASURING PLATE WITH STREAMLINE DISCHARGE GUIDE 2 fiheets-Sheet 2 7 Filed Dec. 21, 1944 INVENTOR. CHARLES H. WHITE Patented May 9, 1950 .-'i

SEED MEASURING PLATE WITH STREAM- LINE DISCHARGE GUIDE Charles H. White, Moline, Ill., assignor to Deere & Company, Moline, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 21, 1944, Serial No. 569,198

7 Claims. (Cl. 222-367) The present invention relates generally to planters and more particularly to corn planters and the like.

The object and general nature of the present invention is the provision of a planter which is especially constructed and arranged so as to plant at higher speeds than have heretofore been thought possible. More particularly, it is a feature of this inventionto provide means for selecting at a rapid rate the seed to be deposited and then conducting the seed into the seed receiving furrow by means of a smoothly curving seed conducting tube which is so placed as to receive the seed and shaped to conserve the kinetic energy of the seed imparted to the latter by the relatively rapid movement of the seed connecting mechanism. Specifically, it is a feature of this invention to provide seed selecting means which is operable at fairly high speeds and which provides for a change in the direction of movement of the seed in a gradual and uniform manner, thus preventing injurious rebounding of the seed which, if permitted, would delay the passage of the seed into the seed receiving furrow. Another important feature of the present invention lies in the provision of means to prevent soil from being forced into the discharged end of the seed passage when the planter furrow openers are dropped abruptly to the ground from a raised or transport position.

.These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which is disclosed structure incorporating the principles of the present invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of a planter runner struc-. ture and associated parts, in which the principles of the present invention have been incorporated.

Figure 2 is a, rear view and Figure 3 is a top view of the structure shown in Figure 1. 4

Figure 4 is a partial sectional view showing the upper end of the seed receiving conduit and its relation to the seed discharging members of the seed selecting mechanism.

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the seed plate supporting member with the seed opening therein beveled to accommodate the rapid discharge of the seed.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the reference numeral 1 indicates a furrow opener of the runner or shoe type.

made up of a pair of plates suitably secured together, as by welding, forging or the like, so as to form a narrow front end 5 and two laterally spaced rear side sections 6 and l. A mounting block 8 is fastened, as by bolts 9, or the like, between the rear side sections 6 and l. A pair of shank bars l l and [2 are bent at their upper portions to form a pair of laterally spaced upper sections is and I4 which are apertured so as to receive bolts l5 and it by which a pair of right and left hand mating hopper mounting members I1 and it are secured, respectively, to the shank bars H and I2. Preferably, the bolts l5 and It are arranged in pairs and a bolt 19 (Figure 1) passes through the central portions of both of said upper mounting members I1 and ill for holding the latter in position. The members I7 and I8 are preferably castings formed as mating parts, each having a forwardly extending arm 22 and a rearwardly extending arm 23. The latter are spaced fairly close together and are apertured to receive a pivot bolt 24 upon which a, wing bolt 25 is swivelly mounted, as best shown in Figures 1 and 2. The upper ends of the forward hopper mounting member sections 22 are apertured to receive a pin 21, the apertures preferably being formed as sockets 28, as best shown in Figure 3. Upwardly extending portions 3| are formed on the member I1 and I8 so that, when the members are assembled, the extensions 3| serve as a stud to receive and rotatably support a driving gear 35 (Figure 4). The gear 35 is driven in any suitable manner, as by a pinion 36 (Figure 4), carried by any suitable means, as by a shaft or the like on the mounting members l1 and i8, and the gear 35 is provided with seed plate driving lugs 31 (Figure 1).

The seed selecting mechanism is indicated in its entirety in Figure 4 by the reference numeral 40 and is largely of conventional construction. Referring now to Figure 4, a hopper M is mounted on a hopper base 42 and the latter includes a central section 43 having a central socket (not shown) which receives a stationary stud 44 (Figure 1) which is carried by and forms a part of the stud 3|. The hopper base 42 is in the nature The furrow opener l is I of a flanged member and carries at one side a pair of shouldered lugs 45 and at the other side a slotted lug 45. The shoulder on each of the pair of lugs 45 is indicated by the reference numeral 48, and the hopper base 42 is adapted to be mounted on the mounting members l1 and ill by engaging the shoulders 48 on the lugs 45 underneath the pin 21. The hopper base then swings downwardly until the socket, mentioned above,

base a knock-outlever 54" is pivoted;a s atiato the base 42; At the other end the knock-out lever 54 carries a knock-out roller 56'which is mounted on a pin 51 to rotate freely. The roller 56 is? in:

disposed adjacent the periphery-of the baseflz, and in a position to pass into the seed cells: 61 that are formed on a seed plate 62 by a plurality of tooth-like extensions 64. spring 55 biasesthe knock-out roller for a movementina down-- ward direction into the seed cells SI successively,

dotted; arromin Fig-urel3l The seed eplatejiz is:- prpv-ided: with" socketsror: the like to receive 1 the lugs :33 ;.onsthevgear .3 55011 anyl-other-suitable :means i. may bee provided whereby rotating the gear: 35:

will I'DtlfEGnthG seed plate-:62}: 7

Azseed :cendiaittube =.'Ifl;isprovided: for conductingthe-seed selectediby the mechanism 4%: downwardly intosarfurrow I in: the soil. opened by the nfurrow-lopenerclz Thehpresent invention is par cticulariy;.concernedivwith thes shape of the tube 11L: Referringlfirst:to'Figures-Land 4; it will beseen; tl'iatLethe upper. section. I I of: the tube is curve-wand fist. provided-with an upper: seed receivipg; inlet openings'll which is disposed immediately: underneath the knock-out rolle'iz 58 gas shown in Figure 4 This figure also showsthat' theeseedzselecting mechanism- 40 includes a false ringsmember Ill on- .the lower. side-of the base 'sz andheld imposition by a=pair ofw-ithumbscrews I5 ;w This .ring l'l liholds the seedplate fifi in position and also servesas a support for theseveral seedez'astheymove into the seed cells Ii I The'ring member; 'M'iiS provided: witha 1 seed 1; discharge opening; 18.11111 .-the form: of a= notch h'av-ing front" P ani 'rearubevel'ed edges 19' and-8'I 1 as best: shown inlF-igurefi, the-angle ofsthebevelededges m and 8 I .Lcorrespondsi approximately (to the angle that I theiuppenendi'ltl :of .the seed tube -I 0 makes with respect :to': the plane ofxthe ring 'member 1 149- As besteshown fin Figured,the-vertical plane -(per-- pendicular: to the plane of: the paper; Figures) containing :the; upperend 1 I of {the :seed tube is ltangent tosthe path of movementof the seed-cells" 6 I iatitheepointmhere'the knocker SB- 1s mounted;

this1:point. .beingissubstantially directly-.cover-"theinlet end '12 of the upper end portion- -Tl' of the seed tube.-r-'fia'. Thelatter'curvesdna smooth uniformq'mannerdownwardlyandsomewhat' rear wardly as best shownfin Figures and 2; merging into a generally svertically -disposed i straight== portion;83;Ithe. straight portion being disposed in' theiverticallongitudinallplane of the runner V as best shownsinv Eigurez; this portion ofthe seed tube;'!0 lying between the shank bars I I and I24- Preferably; the tube: lfl' is welded to=one 0f the; shanhrbars'llaand I2: 7 The":seed' tubetil 7 passes downwardlybetween the shank bars II and: I 2 land; hasta lower end ?portion Be -which is shaped :to' curve downwardly and rearwardly; as 7 indicatedgat 85in Figure- 1; terminating in a lowerdischargeuopening .86. This opening is disposed betweenzrthe side plates Blandt'lfofttheplanter runner: I and. iszjust, forward ofthemounting;

bl'ockflJwhichdsLboltedtd-the. runnerlsides-rfi and:

4 V I. The space between these side portions is sufiicient to accommodate and, in fact, forms the rear portion of the seed passage for the seed selected and discharged by the seed selecting mechanism 40. The lower ends of the shank bars H and I2 are secured, as by a bolt 88, to the mp-unting" membert'a. The; partioulart'curvature, atof the-lower 'end portionofgthe seed tube m is suflicient to give the seed a rearward com- .-ponent of movement, sufiicient to equal the speed of forward travel: ofv the planter.

The-mounting block 8, as best shown in Figure 1, is apertured, as at 9|, to receive a lifting link '92; Thedattenisrconnected to any suitable form of lifting mechanism by which the runners I may be raised into a transport position. Sometimes theerunnersi-are-dropped from their transport position with considerable force to the ground, andnotdnfrequently this action causes soil to become plugged in the lower portions of the seed passage, which inr the? present-- instance" is made up rof the lower end ofitheztubez l El: andthe operating space between the runner sideszfi andih Accordingdad the presentainventio'n; means is provided for preventing soiliand the; like from being forced up into. the lower portionlofi the-:seed passage when:the-"runners are droppedto th'ei ground: Tozthis/end; .Il havezprov-idedra bloclngli disposed.1substantially;'directly;v underneath the: lower curved endt5;-of=tthe seeditubes'l I1 and subs: stantially2filling 'thee-space between the-runner sidest and i-li substantiallycall' theway'f'rom the notch Gan a point belowgandiinrear ofLtheJoWerendjoe seed tube; The lower: faceisl of thetwee-sens roundedz The actionrof the block se is etoi prevent the runner from: penetrating the groundieven: though it be dropped with =consi'derable '-fo1'ce; 'I nis protects:the lower; end et -the 4 forced aupinto the space betweemthe runnersides 6 and V r The upper end-11 0f theseed tube lil is pro-" videdf iwitli' a -lug'zl 01: which is apertured, as--at" Ill2 (Figure 1') toreceive a: stud I 03 'carried the cooperating portion =0fthe hopper baSe lZ-I The seatingof thealu'g I03 in th'e opening in-the lug: l0 Ir'serves' to accurately register the upper 7 end :1 2 40i seed tube with -th'e: :hopper' base ee-"- that th'e inlet t-end of theitube lies iri -th'e: properposition with respect to the opening-"T8 in-the ringe member r 14' and" also+with respect-' to the knooker: 56;-

Theoperation of the planter as described above is substantially; as follows: V

A's the -seed plate 62 and? associated p'arts -are-" rotatedg in the-direction ofthe dotted arrowshown in the lower left portion et prg ure- 3;;the

' seeds in the hopper 4| move into theseedfcells Ii-I;

As ti ie=-'ee1l"s'-'come; one by onei-overthe opening-=18 underneath tHe lr-nocker whit"beingnndrstoodt that the latter roll-salorrg over tl'i e teeth 64' and is urged downwardly by the spring 65, theseecls fall -bythe-action -of ""g-ravity, aided if necessary I by the knocker which positively-ejectsany'seed that teiifigf'l'ib stick the seedfcell, generally 7 downwardly fromth'e-seedfcell'ifi l and are directed income upper endt'i l of tliefseedtubeJ9." Due" to the rotation of the seed-platedWand-the"eject; ing-'aetion, [e n'ergized by gravity" orthe'spring' fifi of the-*knocker orector 50f or both; 'the' m'otion imparteditje eaeh seed as it' leaves the-seed plate is tlie re'sultant of two movements;namelyfthv movement -im-parted thereto by the retating seed plate-=62; and't movement ii npa-rted to-the seed eby the action of gravity and/onthe"lnock'err It" will be'understood, of course,'that as the seed leaves its seed cell 6| it tends to move away from the seed plate in a tangential direction, namely,

a direction that lies in the plane of the upper end H of the seed tube 10. This plane is indicated in Figure 3 by the broken line P. As has been described above, this plane is in tangentialrelation with respect to the path of movement of Thus, as each seed leaves its seed cell 6| there is no loss of kinetic energy which the seed possesses by virtue of the movement imparted thereto by the rotation of the seed plate. Each seed after it leaves the seed cell becomes a free moving body and is acted on by gravity in addition to the forces mentioned above. The resultant path of movement of the seed corresponds approximately to the curvature of the upper portion of the seed tube, best shown in Figures 1 and 2., The tube has smoothly curving walls and each seed drops smoothly down through the tube without rebounding from one wall to the other and in some instances without ever contacting the inner surface of the tube at the upper portion thereof. The curvature of the lower end of the seed tube, as indicated at 85, is provided for the purpose of imparting a rearward component of movement to the seed so that the rearward component of this movement is as near as possible the speed of forward advance of the planter so that, relative to the ground, each seed is deposited in a directly downward direction so that there is no tendency for the seed to roll or otherwise become displaced in the furrow opened by the soil opener I. Since the curvature of the upper portion of the seed tube corresponds to the normal path of movement of the seed, projected generally rea'rwardly and downwardly by the combined action of the rotating seed plate and of gravity when the seed falls out of the seed plate through the opening 18 in the false ring or ring member 14, the inherent kinetic energy of each seed is conserved so that, with substantially no loss of velocity, there is no tendency for the seed to bounce back and forth in the seed tube or dissipate its inherent kinetic energy by such rebounding. Therefore, possessing practically all of its kinetic energy, due to the rotation of the seed plate, the seed when it reaches the lower curved section 85 is directed rearwardly with substantially the same velocity as the rate of forward movement of the planter.

While I have shown and described above the preferred structure in which the principles of the present invention have been incorporated, it is to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the particular details shown and described above, but that, in fact, widely different means may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects of my invention.

What I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a. planter, a seed plate rotatable in a generally horizontal plane and having a peripheral series of seed cells, means for releasing the seed at a given point in the rotation of said seed plate, and a seed tube on the lower side of said seed plate having a seed receiving inlet disposed 7 below the seed cells at said discharge point, said tube extending downwardly and outwardly away from said seed plate in a generally vertical plane that is disposed in generally tangential relation to said seed plate at said discharge point.

ring fixed against rotation and supporting said rotary seed plate, said false ring having an opening underneath the path of movement of said seed cells and said opening having the edge thereof that is disposed in a forward direction with respect to the rotation of said seed plate beveled off on the underside thereof so as to accommodate the continued movement of said seed in its normal trajectory due to the kinetic energy of said seed imparted thereto by the rotation of said seed plate, after the ejection of said seed from said seed cells and during the passage of said seed through the opening in said false ring, 1

and a seed tube disposed below said false ring and seed plate and having an upper seed-receiving 5 portion extending downwardly and away from the seed plate in a line that extends in generally parallel relation with respect to the beveled under- I side portion of said opening with the portions of the walls of the upper end of said seed tube generally in alignment with the beveled portion of the opening in said false ring.

3. A high speed planter comprising a rotary seed plate having peripheral seed cells, a false of that is disposed in a forward direction with respect to the rotation of said seed plate beveled off on the underside thereof at about an angle corresponding to the angle of the resultant of the forward velocity imparted to the seed by the rotation of said seed plate and the downward velocity imparted to the seed by said downwardly acting seed ejecting means, and a seed conduit disposed under said false ring and having a seed receiving section disposed substantially at the same angle as the beveled edge of said false ring so as to accommodate the continued movement of said seed in its normal trajectory due to the kinetic energy of said seed imparted thereto by the rotation of said seed plate, after the ejection of said seed from said seed cells and the passage of the seed through the opening in the false ring 4. In a planter, a seed plate rotatable in a generally horizontal plane and having a plurality of seed cells around the periphery thereof, a seed ejector on the upper side of said seed plate for ejecting the seed downwardly from said cells during the rotation of said plate, and a curvedseed receiving conduit of substantially constant cross section disposed on the underside of said plate, the upper part of said conduit being disposed in a generally vertical plane that is disposed in generally tangential relation with respect to the path of rotation of said seed cells at a point corresponding to the location of said seed ejector and having a downward curve from said point corresponding generally to the trajectory of the seed ejected from said cells during rotation of said seed plate.

5. A high speed planter comprising a rotary seed plate having peripheral seed cells, a false senseless? spect': to; the irotation :of; said seed -l plate; beveled: oft on the underside thereof: at about anen le i corresponding to the' i'anele of: the 'resnltam-t of:

tlieuforwardi-veloeity imparted tot-the seedzby e rotation of said seed plate and: the downwards. velocity imparted: to -the seed in-thee ELQfiOB2 of? gtavity; and a seed eond-uit disposed underzseid false ring.- and having a 1 seed 5 receiving: section l5 ingan upperseed"receiving:sectionidisposed 'substa'ntiailyatthe same angle asisaid beveled edge so -as to accommodate the: continued movement 7 of said seed init's I normail trajectory due tethe k ihet'ie energy of 1 said seed: imparted theretoLb-y 1 otsaid se dimp it ed th reto :biwi h6 IO 3'1 i0 -Oi eo'ftlie-rotationof said seed late, a-fter the release:- of saidseed from 'said seed cells and the passage: of ftli'e seed through the opening in said aper'--' disposed substantially at the-seine .:angle .asi--, e

nmdete-theacontinued: movement" oi-isaifii' s ed in-1 its normal tmieatery. due toi ek n tie:energys seidseed: plate andthe action ragnet/1W aitien the release: oi -said seed from said seedecells and; thewpass ge=of the seed: through theiopening in the false-ring...

6.A=p;1,anteradapted. normallyzto be: movedforwardly when in: operation and comprising movable seed: delivering; means; and .a seed-com duiteda-ptedto receive seed therefrom-andimeluding; a; tubei adapted to; enclose; the: seed (in V all sides and having smootninnera wells.- and: h ped o have" an inlet openin endezdi nt portion extending; g n r l yn he=diirection ofmovement or; said 5 seed delivering; means at: the: point :of dischange oi seedtherefmm; said tubej alsosbeingishaped.tozlead gradually ewastqirom-i 601 870 said: direction in a substantially; smooth curyei. into "a, substantially, directly. downward direction; toward the groundso as: to retain:e .s hstant.iaql-rv amount of the initial velocity; of? said; seedparted thereto hy -saidzmovableseed: delivering- 129685641 means, .said rtube alsd-having; a;:l0.we.r. 'pertio tending generally downwardly;andzrearwandlyzson asito impartfa rearwardeomponent ofsmovement to. thezzseedt discharged tl'ierefrom;v

71A: high speed planter: compzising, a1 rotanyc: 40 seed plate :having 'peripheraLseed cells; aniaper tur'ed' part fixed. against rotationfandidisposedbeelowi saidi roteryx'seed :plate, said -partw having amopeninggxunderneatfi' thesepath as: movementxofi" said? seed GEHSJtOL BR01151616 101 the movement of? seed? outwardly andxzdownwardl-y from:said=.seed.:-

, cell's;..the :openingziin saidapartihaving the ed'ge thereof. L that disposed in? a: f orward' direction a with IBSDBGtfZtOLthBi. rotation: ofi'said seediplate: beveled off i on v the-5:. underside thereof 5 at about en angle correspondingetosthe anglelof th arei-e 116' sultant of the forward 1 velocity imparted: toil-their seed by the rotation. of said seed plate; riaodzthfiv dewnward velocityimparted to the seed during;

its:ejeetion fronr saidfseed plate; endrta seed cone duit disposed under said apertured-tpartla-nd have turedpart,

CHARLES 'H;'

REFERENCES CITED The following references .are' of record in the file 0i this pa nt:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 7 Name 7 V 7 Date 126,250' Barbour Apr. 30118721? 214,683 Miller' Apr. 22', 1879- 308585 'Watts- -Nov. 25, 1884'- Davis'on Apr. 5,- 1898: 9822089' Patric Jan. 17, 1911 1' ';0'68,5'47 Tiiggle July 29, 1913 11311133" Hilton Sept.-- 23, 1919 136052-10 Bo-l-imlaer Nov; 2, 1926'" Gi-eig July-3'1; 1934-- VFQREIGN" PATENTS ZTOAQ'T' GreatBritain' May12,' 1927* r 391,159" tal Sept. 28; 193 131453082 Germany 1921" 

